Road sign



Nov. 12, 1929. J. w. SMITH 1,735,444

- ROAD SIGN `I Originall Filed Aug. 2. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. l2, 1929.

J- W. SMITH ROAD SIGN Original Filed Aug 1926 2 sheets-sheet 2 O al f' qll 5/ 312 y 54 27" LJ *727 l 27 3 ,7 2@ le 4 ..5- a /2 /z j J//f/fA/gr l Jaf" /ff 57# 50 Mounted on and @Patented Nov. i2, ieee JAMES k.WARNER SMrTr-r, .or MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE Roan SIGN g' Appncation inea August 2,

rlhis invention relates to advertising signs designed primarily 4to be placed along the side of traveled road-ways or in some other conspicuous positions, and more especially to such a device in which a plurality of individual signs `are mechanically displayed in rotation. I

The objects of this invention, are:

(a) To provide means for supporting a plurality of signs in such manner that a number of them maybe displayed at one time and that they may be moved to bring successive ones into view and retire others thereof.

' (o) To provide means for moving the signs thus found, and i (c) To simplify and improve the details of construction of such devices.

The means by which these and other objects are accomplished, and the manner of their accomplishment will readily be understood from the following description on reference to the drawings, in which,-

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the device with the operating wind wheel shown directed toward one side. Y

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the device on the same scale. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of one of the signs and the carrrying chain therefor.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, 1-1 are side frames or posts, 2 is a mud sill on which these posts rest, and 3 a cap resting on top of the posts. 4 are brace posts, one of which is disposed behind each of the side posts 1, and 5 are cross braces. Mounted on the post 1 are uppper bearings 6 and lower bearings 7, in oppositely disposed pairs, the upper bearings 6 carrying a cross shaft 8 and the lower bearings a cross shaft 9, on which shafts respectively, are mounted sprocket wheels 10-10 oppositely disposed,"and similarly mounted wheels 11, 11. Disposed over these sprocket wheels, are link chains 12 which carry at suitable intervals cross rods V13, on each of which a sign 14 is so mounted, that it will turn freely around the rod and depend in a vertical position therefrom. secured to the shaft 8, isa

1926, Serial N0. 126,388.

Renewed Aprire, 192e.

bevel gear 15 which is driven by a bevel pinion 16, mounted on and secured to a vertical shaft 17. On theV upper end'of this shaft, a` bevel gear 18 is secured which in turn meshes', with and is adapted to be driven by a bevel- 55. pinion 19. rlhe pinion 19 is mounted onvand Secured to a shaft 2O rotatable in bearings '21 and carrying on its outer end a'hub 22 from which blades 23 radiate, forming ,a wind wheel adapted to drive the mechanism and, 60'- through the train of gearing set out, to shift the signs. f 'y 24 is a turn table,fon which a turnable mem'- ber 26 is supported preferably by balls Q6. The vturn table 25 is carried'by blocks 27, 651 which in turn rest on 'cross timbers 28. lThe cross timbers 28 are supported by the cap 8' and an additional cap 29 which in turn rest on auxiliary posts 30, extending upward from the braces 4.

Resting on and secured to the turnable member 24, are timbers 31 which support al Vbearing 32 in which the shaft 17 is journaled and on which bearing the bevel gear 18 rests. These timbers 31 likewise carry bearings 75a 21 for the shaft 20. 33 is the tail which is also carried by the timbers 31 the tail preferably being secured between these timbers, as for instance by passing bolts 34 therethrough.

In use the device is erected at any desired so'. place with such advertising matter on the signs as may be desired. Any breeze blowing thereafter, deflects the tail 33 turning the wind` wheel assembly to bring the wind lwheel into the wind and the wind wheel rotating in the usual manner and acting through the train of gearing slowly rotates the gear wheel 15, and the sprocket wheels 10 and, with the wind wheel blades set in the direction indicated,

causes the signs 1n thev foreground to vrise -9'0'3 slowly thus displaying the advertising on approximately one-half the signs at all times and causing those signs which are in the rear to correspondingly descend and to successivei ly be swung to the front and'displayed. 95') It will be noted that `bevel gears have been illustrated, but it will readily be seen that worm, or other gearing may be used if so desired. Y lt will especially be noted that the area and length of the tail must be sufHCient to Withl stand the tendency of the pinion 19 to rotate theWind Wheel carriage around the gear 18.l It will be distinctly understood that the V drawings herein are illustrative only and that I do not desire torbe limited to the details therein shown except as they may be hereinafter specified in the claim.

Having noW fully disclosed the invention, what is claimed, is :e `'In a device. of the class described, a frame comprising supporting posts'spaced apart, a cap therefor and suitable bracing means, bearings on said posts, a shaft carried by said bearings, Wheels carried by said shaft, endless flexible members carried by said Wheels and depending therebelow, a plurality offsigns carried by said flexible members, a gear lon Y VSaid shaft a vertically disposed shaft, bearings for said sha-ft, a gear on said shaft meshing with said first gear, a turn-table, concentric with said shaft, a turnable member mounted on said turn-table, a Wind-actuatable assembly carried by said' turnable member, gearing connecting said assembly and saidA shaft and a` turn-table support, extending upward fromV said cap and supporting said turn-table at such height above said cap as to permit said assembly to turn about said veriso.r tical shaft above said cap.

` In testimony `of the foregoing, I aiiic my signature. l

JAMES WARNER SMITH; 

